Described as a “…powerful dancer.” by Dancemagazine, Cihtli Ocampo began her dance studies at the age of eight and was awarded the William J. Fulbright Scholarship for the study of Flamenco and Spanish Dance in Spain in 1999. This scholarship marked the beginning of an eleven-year residency in Seville where she immersed herself in Gypsy culture. From 2000-2007 Ocampo trained and performed exclusively with the legendary Farruco family and in 2004 Ms. Ocampo was the featured female dancer in Tony Gatlif's film "Exils" (Best Director, Cannes Film Festival 2004). In 2006 Ms. Ocampo and her husband musician Ethan Margolis co-founded the Arte y Pureza Flamenco Company, an international Flamenco company dedicated to diffusing pure, roots Gypsy Flamenco worldwide.
In 2011 Ms. Ocampo relocated to Los Angeles where she now resides and continues to produce, choreograph and perform in original productions with Arte y Pureza. Ms. Ocampo has been teaching her entire life and in 2013 she was hired by UCSD and Pomona College. Since 2014 Ms. Ocampo has been faculty at Santa Monica College where she teaches Flamenco and Advanced Theater Movement. Currently she is also a part of the Santa Monica College Dance Academy bringing Ballroom Dance to the Santa Monica and Malibu school districts.